Tutti Frutti Present KEEPY UPPY By Evan Placey

As football fever is set to sweep the nation when the FIFA World Cup starts in Russia this June, the much-admired Leeds theatre company tutti frutti is delighted to announce that it will be celebrating the beautiful game by staging the premiere of Keepy Uppy, a new play by the award-winning playwright, Evan Placey (Girls Like That, Synergy Theatre/Unicorn Theatre and WiLd, tutti frutti).

Directed by tutti frutti's artistic director Wendy Harris, Keepy Uppy will open at the Howard Assembly Rooms on the 5th of May and will then tour until the 1st of July 2018.

Keepy Uppy, tells the story of Joey who absolutely loves football - he loves playing it, watching it, talking about it. He gets it from his mum - a footy fanatic!

Joey can turn anywhere into a make-believe pitch, from scoring goals in his breakfast cereal to imaginary match commentating on his way to school. His enthusiasm is shared equally by his Mum - the best teammate he could ever have. She stands on the sidelines cheering him on, giving him top training tips and teaching him new tricks.

Life is busy for Joey and mum, but today nothing can get in their way as the big day has arrived; the high point of the season, the cup final and a chance for Joey to score a winning goal.

They set off for the game, ready for ANYTHING!

Whether you are a football fan or non-football fan, Keepy Uppy celebrates the joy of the beautiful game with popping rhymes, fab footie moves, flicks and sidesteps underscored by toe tapping live music.

Keepy Uppy is directed by Wendy Harris and will feature music by Dominic Sales, movement from Joêl Daniel and designs by Kate Bunce. The cast will feature Danny Childs (Farm Boy, Mercury Theatre Colchester and Rapunzel, tutti frutti) as Joey; musician Vittorio Angelone who will be playing a live musical score; with further casting being announced shortly.

Director Wendy Harris said about the new production:

"With 100 days to go until the World Cup we are excited to bring this play about a boy and his love of football to children and their families. We are thrilled that Joêl Daniel will be joining the team at tutti frutti as our movement director and his role is pivotal to this exciting new piece about football. With his guidance, we will be utilising lots of fancy footie moves and breakdancing physicality to express everything about the beautiful game."

Canadian-British playwright Evan Placey previously worked with tutti Frutti on the acclaimed play WiLD which explored the life of a boy living with ADHD. The play was selected for the 39th IPAY International Showcase, which was held in Madison, Wisconsin. Evan recently won the Writers' Guild Award - Best Play for Young Audiences for his play Girls Like That (Synergy Theatre/Unicorn Theatre; first produced Birmingham Rep/Theatre Royal Plymouth/West Yorkshire Playhouse.) His other plays include: Pronoun (National Theatre Connections); Mother of Him (Courtyard Theatre, London; winner of the King's Cross Award for New Writing (UK); Banana Boys (Hampstead Theatre); How Was It For You? (Unicorn Theatre); and Holloway Jones (Synergy Theatre Project, schools tour & Unicorn Theatre; winner of the Brian Way Award 2012 for Best Play for Young People.)

Playwright Evan Placey added:

"It's been a wonderful challenge writing a play entirely in rhyme and which is rooted in physicality and movement. I'm excited to see the football moves and Joey's imagination come to life on stage."

tutti frutti are a national touring company creating high quality work for children and their families to enjoy. Based in Leeds, tutti frutti has been delighting children aged 3, and over, for more than 20 years and tour nationally and internationally to schools and venues. In 2014 tutti frutti were selected to represent the UK in Warsaw at the prestigious ASSITEJ World Congress for young people's theatre. This is the first time an English theatre company has performed at the event. Last year the company were selected to perform their acclaimed production WiLD at the IPAY Showcase in Madison, US.

Keepy Uppy is suitable for children aged 3+ and their families